Vaadivasal

 

Name :  Vaadivasal

Author : Si.Su.Chellappa

Year of Publication : 1959

Genre : Fiction, Novella

Rating : *** ( Three stars out of 5)

A bullfighter succumbs to a famed bull and his son enters the arena few years later to tame the same bull. The plot is decent but what makes the novel a classic is it's intimate and intricate detailing of how Jallikattu unfolds. Right from the first page, we are transported to the smells and sights of the Jallikattu arena. A rare work of fiction without a single female character underlines the masculine nature of the game. That the novel does not wear a critical hat on such aspects is the only pitfall in an otherwise enriching read.